Timber Framers Guild Forums General General Forum Questions Seasoning timbers

Yes, dry brace stock rather than wet/green is a preference but does not always work out.

I try to keep a stack of 3x5 spruce on hand. It is when I need a larger size that I am not fully prepared.

I love green timber, for sure.

Hey Ken -

A term found in American English of 19th Century down home type etymology, It sort of says for me - If given the opportunity, I'd make but this one choice.

The dictionary suggests -

druth·ers [druhth-erz]
noun Informal.
one's own way, choice, or preference: If I had my druthers, I'd dance all night.

I always thought of druther as a round about contraction, originally from I'd rather, which is said more like 'ruther' in many dialects (including my own) But I could be wrong. But if so, that shows you kind of it's meaning, something you would rather do.

Thanks to all who took the time to express their opinion. I appreciate all the input.

I'd druther have chocolate ice cream than vanilla.

I'd druthah have dried brace stock than green.

I think, tim, it's I druther, not I'd druther. Least ways that the way folks say it round here!

If we all wrote things the way we said them, why I think there'd be a whole mess of confusion round here! Some of us fine country folk would confuse the tar out of them city boys.

Ok, I'll go back to writing more or less in standard English now...

I think personally that hardwoods should only be worked green, else wise they get too hard and therefore working them is ore expensive to the client.

I don't have a lot of experience in softwoods, but my woodworking experience has taught me that often times these woods can actually be easier to work dry. however, I think the most important thing is the time constraints.

If you are felling your own trees i think it would be good to follow the old time schedule.
Fell the trees in the winter (under the waning or new moon, when they have no frost on them)
Hew the timbers in the first part of the spring or the late of the winter (again under the waning moon)
Now it's time to cut your joinery, which should take most of the summer on an average job. If you know a job will take more than 1 season (a working season, not a season of the year) to complete, fell and hew only that timber which you can use before the coming of the next winter.

Now in a modern setting you may not want to work that way. If you buy your timber from a supplier, just use it as it arrives and you should be fine. the trick is in attaching the other things to the frame in such a way as to account for shrinkage and settling.

Hello everyone tonight

A season in my books is 1 year taking into account the cold and hot seasons which has a good effect on the seasoning of timber

Now this wasn't always pssible due to time restrictions.

My father built a new barn in the 40's using balloon framing methods and he cut the timbers in the winter, hauled the logs to the mill in the spring, stacked the lumber for as long as he could and then in the summer and fall framed and built the new barn.

I am looking out at it now and it seems to be doing just fine 70 years after the fact, and I believe it will make the 100 easily.

Most of the historic buildings including homes were timberframes covered with 1" lumber inside and out, over the frame, and then appropriate claddings applied like lath and plaster and some type of exterior cladding.

These structures had good air circulation from bottom to the top and the moisture trapped was not a problem at all.

NH